The present invention relates to meander line antennas and, more particularly, to a method for fabricating meander line antennas that require no manual assembly.
In the past, efficient antennas have typically required structures with minimum dimensions on the order of a quarter wavelength of the radiating frequency. These dimensions allowed the antenna to be easily excited and to be operated at or near a resonance, limiting the energy dissipated in resistive losses and maximizing the transmitted energy. These antennas tended to be large in size at the resonant wavelength. Further, as the frequency decreased, the antenna dimensions proportionally increased. In order to address the shortcomings of traditional antenna design and functionality, researchers have developed the meander line loaded antenna (MLA).
A typical meander line loaded antenna is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,080, hereby incorporated by reference. An example of a meander line loaded antenna is also known as a variable impedance transmission line (VITL) antenna. The antenna consists of two vertical conductors and a horizontal conductor. The vertical and horizontal conductors are separated by gaps.
Also, part of the antenna comprises meander lines. These meander lines are connected between the vertical and horizontal conductors at the gaps, one or both of which are bridged by meander lines. The meander line is designed to adjust the electrical length of the antenna. In addition, these meander lines provide for a slow wave structure, and make possible switching lengths that can be quickly applied to and removed from the circuit with negligible loss. This switching provides a change in the effective electrical length of the antenna, and is possible because the meander line is constructed with its active switching structure always located in the high impedance sections of the meander line. This keeps the current through the device low, which results in very low dissipation losses. Thus high antenna efficiency is achieved.
The typical antenna can be operated in a loop mode that provides a xe2x80x9cfigure eightxe2x80x9d coverage pattern. A horizontal polarization, loop mode is obtained when the antenna is operated at a frequency such that the electrical length of the entire line including the meander lines is a multiple of a full wavelength. The antenna can also be operated in a vertically polarized, monopole mode, by adjusting the electrical length to an odd multiple of a half wavelength at the operating frequency. The meander lines can be tuned using electrical or mechanical switches to change the mode of operation at a given frequency, or to switch frequency using a given mode.
The invention of the meander line loaded antenna allows the physical antenna dimensions to be significantly reduced in size, while maintaining an electrical length that maintains a multiple of a quarter wavelength. Antennas and radiating structures fabricated with this design operate in the region where the limitation on their fundamental performance is governed by the Chu-Harrington relation:
Efficiency=FV2Q
where:
Q=Quality Factor
V2 =Volume of the structure in cubic wavelengths
F=Geometric Form Factor (F=64 for a cube or a sphere)
Meander line loaded antennas achieve the efficiency limit of the Chu-Harrington relation while allowing the antenna size to be much less than a wavelength at the frequency of operation. Height reductions of 10 to 1 can be achieved over quarter wave monopole antennas, while achieving a comparable gain.
The existing MLA antennas are individually designed and are built by hand. The high labor costs of manufacturing these antennas make their use prohibitive. Unfortunately, communication applications require devices that can be made cheaply, in order that the manufacturer keeps competitive. This invention reflects the discovery of a way to mass produce VITL antennas for commodity applications, such as cell phones.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,080, entitled MEANDER LINE LOADED ANTENNA, assigned to Lockheed Sanders, Inc. of Nashua, N.H., describes an antenna that includes one or more conductive elements. These elements act as radiating antenna elements, and provide a slow wave meander line that is adapted to couple electrical signals between the conductive elements. The meander line has an effective physical length, which affects the electrical length and the operating characteristics of the antenna. The electrical length and operating mode of the antenna may be readily controlled.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,637 entitled DOUBLE RESONANT WIDE BAND PATCH ANTENNA, AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME, assigned to Motorola, Inc., of Schaumburg, Ill., describes a double resonant wide band patch antenna that includes a planar resonator forming a substantially trapezoidal shape having a non-parallel edge that provides a substantially wide bandwidth. A feed line extends parallel to the non-parallel edge for coupling, while a ground plane extends beneath the planar resonator for increasing radiation efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,762, entitled FOLDED QUARTER WAVE PATCH ANTENNA, assigned to QUALCOMM Incorporated of San Diego, Calif., describes a folded quarter-wave patch antenna which includes a conductor plate having first and second spaced apart arms. A ground plane is separated from the conductor plate by a dielectric substrate and is approximately parallel to the conductor plate. The ground plane is electrically connected to the first arm at one end. A signal unit is electrically coupled to the first arm. The signal unit transmits and/or receives signals having a selected frequency band. The folded quarter-wave patch antenna can also act as a dual frequency band antenna. In dual frequency band operation, the signal unit provides the antenna with a first signal comprising a first frequency band, and a second signal comprising a second frequency band.
The main difference between this inventive antenna and that of the related art is the cost saving circuit printing of the antenna meander lines. Previous meander lines were constructed of sheet metal. Printing the circuit assembly lowers costs.
The key advantages of using printed circuit board technology, are:
1) Ease of manufacturing.
2) The use of standard printed wiring board techniques.
3) The ability to manufacture small MLAs for use at microwave frequencies.
4) Increased mechanical stability.
5) Higher vibration and shock resistance.
6) Increased reliability.
7) High reproducibility.
8) No need for tuning during assembly.
9) Lower costs.
A meander line printed circuit board implementation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,170 assigned to Advanced Application Technology of Taiwan. This patent describes implementing a planar array element as a meander line on the surface of a dielectric plate, according to Printed circuit board techniques that are well known in the art. Meander line generally refers to a transmission line, such as a microstrip line, that meanders or wanders in an indirect path. As described in this prior art patent, this meander line functions as a radiating element of a planar device.
However, in distinction, the geometry and overall functionality of the present invention are different. The present meander line is a different design and implementation. The whole dielectric and printed circuit board are mounted on a ground plane. Elements are on two levels, on the upper surface and on the lower surface of the printed circuit board as well as on the sides and through the plated through holes.
The present invention does not radiate, but rather performs the function of the meander line as described herein and previously implemented as shown in FIG. 2. The present invention is placed in the gap of the radiating structure of the antenna shown in FIG. 1. The present device is affixed in the gap either on the horizontal underside surface or on the inner vertical surfaces of an antenna device.
The antenna structure of this invention features a new meander line construction. The antenna structure is based on U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,080, for MEANDER LINE LOADED ANTENNA. The present invention is an extension of the teaching advanced therein. In the aforementioned patent, an antenna is described in which meander lines are fabricated using printed circuit techniques, in order to lower the overall cost of MLA antennas. The present invention uses lithographic techniques and plated through holes (vias), in conjunction with the aforesaid printed circuit board technology in order to eliminate the need for hand assembly of the fabricated components.
One object of the invention is a method of fabricating a meander line antenna using printed circuit techniques that do not require hand assembly. The method comprises the steps of fabricating a meander line as part of a meander line circuit board, including the additional steps of providing a continuous non-overlapping conductor trace for the meander line circuit on at least one surface of the circuit board. Providing vias in the meander line circuit board for said conductor trace, and integrating the meander line into at least one radiating surface of the antenna.
An object includes the method of fabricating the meander line antenna, wherein the vias provided are etched or plated through.
A further object is the method of fabricating the meander line antenna, wherein the meander line includes attaching the meander line circuit to vertical radiating elements or the horizontal radiating element of the antenna. The antenna vertical and horizontal radiating elements are separated by a gap and the meander line is connected across the gap of the vertical and horizontal radiating surfaces.
An additional object is the method of fabricating the meander line antenna, wherein the vias are etched by photo-lithographic methods or are slotted.
An object of the invention is a method of fabricating an integrated printed circuit board meander line, the method comprising the steps of providing a continuous non-overlapping conductor trace around a printed circuit board material, wherein the trace makes one or more revolutions about the board. Providing vias in the circuit board for the trace to make the revolutions, and disposing the printed circuit board material onto a dielectric base.
An object includes a method of fabricating the integrated printed circuit board meander line, further comprising a step of angling the conductor trace.
Yet a further object of the invention is an integrated printed circuit board meander line device, comprising a dielectric base, a printed circuit board material mounted to said dielectric base, a continuous non-overlapping conductor trace making one or more revolutions around the printed circuit board, wherein the conductor trace travels through one or more vias in the circuit board.
A further object is an integrated printed circuit board meander line device, wherein the conductor trace is angled in order to make the trace non-overlapping.
And, another object is an integrated printed circuit board meander line device, wherein a starting point of the trace and an ending point of the trace are located on a same side of the circuit board. This allows easier connectivity of the integrated device at the antenna.
An additional object is an integrated printed circuit board meander line device, wherein the printed circuit board material is copper cladding.
An object of the invention is a printed circuit meander line, comprising a dielectric substrate having a pair of substantially parallel opposed surfaces, with a multiplicity of printed circuit conductors formed on the opposed surfaces of the substrate. There are connector means formed around or through the substrate and serially connecting the multiplicity of printed circuit conductors to form a single continuous meander line with series connected alternating printed circuit conductors located on opposite surfaces of the substrate. A dielectric layer is mounted on one surface of the substrate over the printed circuit conductors on that surface, wherein the dielectric layer is adapted for coupling to a ground plane for locating the two surfaces of the substrate parallel to the ground plane.
An additional object, wherein the substrate has at least one edge and further wherein the connector means are printed circuit conductor sections formed on the edge. Furthermore, wherein the substrate has a second edge opposed to the one edge and further wherein the connector means are printed circuit conductors formed on the second edge.
Yet a further object wherein the printed circuit conductors formed on the opposed surfaces of the substrate are at least in partial alignment with each other.
A final object wherein the connector means are plated vias formed through the dielectric substrate between aligned printed circuit conductors located on the opposed surfaces.